Stepping into Kameda Distillery in Niigata, I found myself in a world where clinical precision meets artisan passion.
Today, I want to share the secret behind that “beautiful” taste that shocked me at our first encounter.
President Tokida’s approach to whisky is unique. As a former pharmaceutical MR (Medical Representative), he brought the mindset of “hypothesis and verification” to the mash tun. Instead of relying solely on intuition, he reads scientific papers and sets up “control groups” to compare and verify every step of the process.
The Magic of Wooden Washbacks (Kioke) One of the most striking features of the distillery is the rows of large wooden washbacks (Kioke).
President Tokida didn’t choose wood simply for tradition. He traveled across Japan and Scotland, asking experts whether to use stainless steel or wood.
When he received conflicting answers, he did the only logical thing: he installed both and brewed under identical conditions to compare the results.
The verdict was clear.
For the “sweetness and lingering finish” he envisioned, the wooden washbacks were overwhelmingly superior. Now, every drop at Kameda is crafted using this “wooden magic.”
A Breath of the Tropics The aroma in the fermentation room left me speechless. While many new spirits carry notes of green apple, Kameda’s spirit was filled with dense, tropical scents of mango, passion fruit, and peach.
This is achieved through an exceptionally long fermentation period, allowing lactic acid bacteria to create complex flavors.
By also using a higher-than-standard amount of yeast, he gives the spirit a profound “body” and thickness.
“Luxury Scissors”: Cutting Only the Best President Tokida views the still as “scissors” meant to cut out only the most delicious parts of the fermentation. He practices what I call a “Luxury Cut”—narrowing the range of the “middle cut” to an extreme degree.
He sacrifices efficiency to ensure that only the purest, most flavorful essence is captured.
As a “Japanese Whisky Expert” who once could barely drink alcohol, I recognize that this level of clinical obsession is why I was destined to find this whisky.
It was “Hitsuzen” (Inevitability) that my palate sought out this clarity amidst the thousands of bottles I have tasted.
At Bar Little Happiness in Hiroshima, when I pour a glass of Kameda, I am sharing a masterpiece of logic and tropical soul. Your encounter with this “destined glass” tonight is also an inevitability.
↓Deep Dive into the Story: For those who wish to explore the full, detailed history and my personal reflections on this distillery, please visit our original column here (Japanese): (You can use the language switcher at the top of our site to translate the page into your preferred language.)↓
出逢いは必然。Rum&Whiskyの世界へようこそ。 (An encounter is inevitable. Welcome to the world of Rum & Whisky.)
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Visit Us in Hiroshima
We welcome guests from all over the world with our 8-language menu and a massive collection of over 1,000 whiskies.
Explore our vast range of Japanese labels, featuring an unrivaled selection of local Hiroshima craft whiskies, alongside an extensive array of fine Scotches.
No matter where you are from, your “destined glass” is waiting.
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(Dive deep into the world of whisky and rum. This site can be translated into English or Korean using the language switcher tab at the top of the page.)
